Rise of VILTs for continuous learning since the COVID 19 pandemic
Over the last few months, as the world started to recover from COVID-19 effects, the prompt adoption of Virtual instructor-led training (VILT) as a perfect learning and development solution has proven to be successful. The method is still very relevant, and its widespread adoption and usage have indicated that VILT is here to stay for a long time for overcoming obstacles to professional and personal growth even after the COVID era ends.
What is Virtual instructor-led training (VILT)?
A VILT is a web-based training session where learners connect with an instructor and other learners while attending live lectures. The VILTs combine the benefits of remote access with classroom Instructor-Led Training (ILT) features, including screen sharing, spontaneous conversations, peer-to-peer learning, and private messages for instructor-learner QAs. Trainers and learners participate via an LMS or a web application.
A VILT is not merely the delivery of content through an online medium. It includes lectures, demonstrations, discussion boards, individual lab activities, and break-out sessions for collaborative activities to update your team’s knowledge base and enhance its expertise. VILTs are built and assisted based on solid and tried-and-true principles of adult learning, online learning, deliberate use of multimedia, and advanced learning paradigms when they are effectively designed and developed.
Why choose VILT as a learning medium?
VILT is one of the most rapidly increasing approaches in L&D. It has aided in illuminating an alternative route for online education. Organizations frequently use Virtual instructor-led training for new employee orientation, learning skills, and professional growth. Because of the internet, VILT is a success in today’s environment, even though it often mimics the format of a regular classroom. Some of the reasons why businesses are going for VILTs are:
- Learn wherever, whenever, with a sense of human connection
The best part of VILT is that these trainings can be delivered from anywhere, and employees can attend from their desks or homes. This is a positive sign as many employees now demand flexibility and, due to some other reasons, may have to work from home, for example, due to COVID 19 outbreak. This saves companies a lot of money that would otherwise be spent on travel, housing, and preparing for proper training classrooms. Apart from this, VILT incorporates a human aspect into trainings through pre-recorded sessions or real-life scenarios, making the learner feel personally mentored, which boosts and sustains employee engagement and motivation in a diverse and dynamic learning environment. - Personalized learning
Depending on the need, the VILT can be easily customized. By utilizing a VILT approach, one can connect all information using a single tool and quickly disseminate it to the right employees. For example, VILTs are the best approach to distribute such information, train workers, and solve any other concerns to share major developments in the industry or other market trends. Similarly, nowadays, firms seek to deliver crucial job-related information to their workers in a timely manner, and visual communication through VILTs is the quickest and most effective technique to attain this goal. - Interactive elements
VILT provides learners with a platform where they can discuss, ask, express views, and get trained together irrespective of their location. It offers a platform where downloading various study aids in interactive formats such as PDFs, word docs, online links, videos, whitepapers, and PowerPoint presentations is possible.
VILTs offer organizations an opportunity to establish clear communication between trainers and learners and also among learners. Proper implementation of the training will result in helping learners achieve learning goals and will also bring them closer to forming effective teams. - Monitor learner progress and evaluate the performance
Using VILT, one can track learners’ progress and course completion rates by getting reports from the LMS. This can also be achieved using built-in analytics within tools, direct questions, engagement techniques, or a combination of all three. The results can be displayed instantly or at the end of the course. Real-time assessments can be performed by conducting role-plays, asking questions, simulations, and polls.
VILT makes it simpler to monitor learners’ progress and provide immediate feedback. Additionally, there is always the option to evaluate learners’ performance using scenario-based questions to see how effective the training was. - Convenience of accessibility
VILT makes it simpler to monitor learners’ progress and provide immediate feedback. Additionally, there is always the option to evaluate learners’ performance using scenario-based questions to see how effective the training was. - Appropriate for learning challenging competencies
Another advantage of VILT is that training is appropriate for high-risk professions and complex competencies. Employees, for example, can be best trained in complicated leadership abilities through live training activities such as role-play and branching simulations. - Blends with diverse learning techniques
People have unique learning preferences and approaches that suit them. Some people like learning alone in a calm environment, while others favor learning from others. It can occasionally be challenging to accommodate diverse learning styles in a classroom setting. With VILT, students may quickly pick the learning methods they like and pick up new skills and information. - Fosters a fully immersed learning environment
VILTs aid in the creation of an immersive learning environment for learners, which is necessary to engage the minds of the twenty-first century. They improve the learners’ ability to retain information via various learning methods, such as simulation training and assessments.
Final thoughts
VILT aids in maintaining open communication between learners and instructors. While fostering an immersive learning environment for learners, it also encourages cooperation among them, which could be advantageous to the company as it enhances team collaboration.
A VILT’s (Virtual instructor-led training) effective implementation in any business will encourage both on- and off-the-job social learning among learners. Social learning is now a reality, and it is assisting in providing additional training and development possibilities to businesses and associations from any device, anywhere. Access to such a wide range of materials and inputs deepens their comprehension, which is then utilized in course understanding and discussion groups.